This week is the last week for new TV. Most shows have already finished, but "last to cross the finish line" new show Journeyman finally makes it in with Episode 11 tonight at 9pm central and Episode 12 on Wednesday at 9pm central.
These final two episodes finally explain how Dan Vassar has been traveling through time answering that Lingering question. Although with the end of the series, due to poor ratings, we are missing out on the bigger question of why Dan is traveling through time. Series creator Kevin Falls has said that if the show had continued the season finale would have put all of Dan's time traveling into perspective. Each leap through time is meant to align time in such a way to make an event happen.
Unfortunately, Journeyman was too slow and too disjointed to give this impression starting off. If the audience would have realized Dan's time traveling was important, I think they would have much more viewers.
Oh well...
With Journeyman's finale 2007 ends, but despite the writer's continued strike, Late Night TV will return in January with or without their writers. Specifically The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Late Night with Conan O'Brien. Both shows will return and air new episodes beginning Wednesday January 2nd.
Both Leno and O'Brien have been huge supporters of the strike. Their return is to start supporting their non-writing staff who have been laid off during these last two months of reruns.
David Letterman, on the other hand, is attacking the situation differently. Letterman is attempting to strike an interim deal between Studio Execs and the WGA so when he returns on January 2nd, he'll have his writers.
Interesting developments.. The below linked article also suggests some alternative programming for Leno and Conan in lew of their monologue. They might have more guests to fill in the time...
(source: New York times)
Besides Late Night returning, there are 2 amazing TV shows which return in the Spring that we haven't seen since their finales back in May.. Lost and Jericho.
On Friday, the Lost Season 4 trailer flew across the Internet and made many people happy. Here it is, in case you missed it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbY_dWObLho
At first I was baffled.. "really? It's still coming out despite the strike? Last I heard, they only completed 8 of the 16 episodes before November 1st." Later in the day, Aint it cool reported on the return of Lost stating that January 31st will be the beginning.
Upon further inspection, it looks they finished up Season 4 without the writers.. I mean, all the scripts were written before the strike began, but the writers are VERY involved with each episode as they make it. They are always on hand to guide and shape each episode to fit their perfect vision. They completed 8 episodes this way before the strike, so the final 8 episodes were done without the personal touch, which doesn't bode well.
Aint it Cool states that Showrunners Carlton Cruse and Damon Lindelof think the season finale is weak compared to previous Seasons. That's rather pessimistic.
Lost Season 4 is 16 episodes which will air week after week without break. I don't know if the season premiere and finale count as 2 each.. probably not.
Over the weekend, I caught my first glimpse of Jericho and my god.. this show is pretty damn awesome. It's a lot like Lost except it hits real close to home.. I don't want to give away any of the story, though.
I went into Jericho episode 1 completely blind. I had no idea what Jericho is, what is was about, or who was even in it. All I knew is that the Internet saved this show and that people love it. The first couple minutes of the show were pretty stereotypically, but when that climax music began to seep into the opening and you could absolutely tell that at any moment the plot of the entire show was going to hit... I even said outloud.. "whatever is about to happen is going to make me love this show.. I just know it.."
then BAM... I am an instant fan of this show. It was totally engaging and made me want to watch every single episode after.
Jericho Season 1 has been out on DVD since October, so you can definitely netflix it.. OR you can watch every single episode of Jericho on the CBS website. Yeah, it's crappy quality and Yeah, they have advertisements, but it'll give you a taste and, personally, a taste is all I needed.
Here's a quick link to all the episodes on cbs.com: http://www.cbs.com/primetime/jericho/video.php?cat=1&video=1&page=1&inner=115261
If you really want to give yourself they perfect experience, Netflix the first DVD, put in it your player, turn up the sound, and turn off the lights. You'll be on the edge of your seat.
Anyways, thanks to the Internet, Jericho has been saved from cancellation and CBS has ordered 8 more episodes. If all goes well with the ratings, CBS will order the rest of the season and probably more to come ^_^.
Much like Lost and other shows, these 8 episodes were surely completed before the strike, so they should be magnificent.
For now, that's really all I can foresee coming to TV. Some episodes of The Office, 30Rock and Earl were completely before the strike, so those couple episodes will probably air here and there in the spring..
In the meantime though... enjoy winter!